Sporting Shoots; where- and how was it? (2018)

[Turkey]

Westfield two good courses.  Compak I just started bad then it rained and I had a Very bad day at the office.  Sporting was good but again I just couldn’t find anything within and this would be a day I would like to start again or have just stayed in bed.  All me.

You were on the squad  behind me you got the worst of the rain on the top layout

 

[Sian]

You were on the squad  behind me you got the worst of the rain on the top layout

On layout 3 and 4.  Couldn’t see and was soaked and freezing.  Just didn’t want to be there by that stage.

 

[Doug Pinnegar]

Westfield double today 

Compak .....22,22,25,25 .........94

Sporting 95

A good day in the office with Oven glove Doug & Colin who both put the frightners up me by shooting brilliant 24s & 25 straight on the first compak layout

Those oven gloves keep my hands nice and toasty, so they will be a regular fixture.....or at least until the mocking becomes unbearable!

24, 14, 19, 24 (81) on the Compak. Really struggled on layout 3 which we shot 2nd. We arrived as the squad was finishing so didn't get a chance to study to targets and how to tackle all the simos. Then THE rain came for our 3rd layout (number 4). I missed my final bird on the last layout as all I could think about was possibly running the whole layout 

The sporting was good fun. The whole day was great at £76 for 200 targets. I will be booking in for all the days I can make it to for that deal.

 

[Will Hewland]

Looking at the weather when we got there I thought it would be a washout. Turned out to be a lovely morning with @Bebo and her husband at Horne. 

The journey into registered shoots continues, with a ten point increase for a PB. 62 at Gatton Bottom today. 

Some brain farts with pairs lost in the middle of good stands, but the real damage is low flying clays. Rabbits I'm fine with. Crosser above me too.  But a crosser either below me from the platform, or between knees and head height if I'm on the ground and I'm screwed. 

This raises two likely issues. Got enough of your weight over the front foot? And face hard enough into the stock? On a platform, bend forward from the waist to maintain the angle of your spine to barrels.

 

[woody]

Thanks Will. Bebo's husband also reminds me to hinge at the waist when I'm shooting these targets. He's a big guy and advocates that technique. 

When I get it right I can see it working. Doesn't appear to be drummed into my routine yet though. 

 

[Will Hewland]

EJ Churchill was a great course today I thought. Lovely sunny day.

A bit less “fiddly” and more bias towards longer targets with time to shoot them. It was fiddly in a couple of places and I missed a 70mm clay twice on two stands, so as usual, what might have been a nice 90 something became an 87. There was an amazing 97 in, which was more than anybody expected. Some other goods shots still out there but most top blokes nearer 90 area. 

 

[El Spavo]

Know you do a lot of comps Will, but for people considering starting off on that path, what are the lowest end scores you're likely to encounter at one so one can get an idea if you're going to be hideously outgunned. Not everyone is bothered by what others score (myself included, .) but there will be some out there who might take a morale hit under certain circumstances if there's potentially a gulf so it might give a guide.

 

[Will Hewland]

Know you do a lot of comps Will, but for people considering starting off on that path, what are the lowest end scores you're likely to encounter at one so one can get an idea if you're going to be hideously outgunned. Not everyone is bothered by what others score (myself included, .) but there will be some out there who might take a morale hit under certain circumstances if there's potentially a gulf so it might give a guide.

There’s a full spectrum at every shoot. What you find is that at some shoots like Horne, where you don’t need to master the art of “lead” so much, the lowest scores from newbies are quite good, like 50%. At tougher shoots real newbies can get pushed down in the 20s. A tough shoot will reduce AA shooters by 5-8 targets perhaps, while inexperienced folk will suffer a much greater loss. 

You can look at any person or grounds scores on CPSA website. Mine for instance: https://www.cpsa.co.uk/averages/william-hewland/10811

 

[Sian]

Know you do a lot of comps Will, but for people considering starting off on that path, what are the lowest end scores you're likely to encounter at one so one can get an idea if you're going to be hideously outgunned. Not everyone is bothered by what others score (myself included, .) but there will be some out there who might take a morale hit under certain circumstances if there's potentially a gulf so it might give a guide.

As I’m here I am going to answer that.  You can go to shoots where the lower score could be 20s or 30s.  There were quite a few in the 40s today at Churchill’s at quick glance and there were probably a few lower.  My very first shoot ever was a registered shoot and I scored 23.  If someone is new to shooting there’s are no expectations if on the other hand someone has frequented a little shoot for a long time and then ventures out it is very  possible they will get a wake up call but at the end of the day lots of us find it hard to manage our own expectations.

William beat me to it

EJC for me and I was doing very well until my third to last stand which was 12 where I missed the first bird every time and the last second bird because I was frustrated.  I went in to shoot and suddenly a sim pair off the tower came across the sky line regularly so 3 clays in the sky.  Very frustrating.  Should have called distraction but the queue on that stand was very bad and probably would have annoyed everyone to stop and go find the culprits.  Finished on 80.  It seemed to take a long time to get around today and the second half of the shoot was very cold.  Enjoyed the targets very much.

 

[P1Fanatic]

Just back from a busy EJC. Got there 10 mins before last cards and was entry 161! Walked to stand 1 to see it 20+ deep so carried on. Dropped 3 of the 2nd bird aerial rabbits on 2 and then was pretty steady but never setting the world on fire. Managed to zig zag around and find a couple of empty stands but mostly it was heavy going. By the time I got to 12 the light was starting to disappear and it had dropped another couple of degrees (when I got back to the car it was reading 1.5c) so was happy to straight that after 5-6 no birds and missing a couple of 70mm's in front on stand 9. Then back to 1 at 15:45 to find it empty. Walked back to the clubhouse and collared a groundsmen who found the scorer packing up and heading out the door. He mumbled something about why are people so late to which I just replied well the comp times are until 16:00 and as we walked over others were arriving still. Managed to drop all of the 2nd bird orange teal - could only just see it as it cleared the trees. Ended on 84 and not too unhappy with that after dropping 7 over 2 stands.

 

[Hamster]

As I’m here I am going to answer that.  You can go to shoots where the lower score could be 20s or 30s.  There were quite a few in the 40s today at Churchill’s at quick glance and there were probably a few lower.  My very first shoot ever was a registered shoot and I scored 23.  If someone is new to shooting there’s are no expectations if on the other hand someone has frequented a little shoot for a long time and then ventures out it is very  possible they will get a wake up call but at the end of the day lots of us find it hard to manage our own expectations.

William beat me to it

EJC for me and I was doing very well until my third to last stand which was 12 where I missed the first bird every time and the last second bird because I was frustrated.  I went in to shoot and suddenly a sim pair off the tower came across the sky line regularly so 3 clays in the sky.  Very frustrating.  Should have called distraction but the queue on that stand was very bad and probably would have annoyed everyone to stop and go find the culprits.  Finished on 80.  It seemed to take a long time to get around today and the second half of the shoot was very cold.  Enjoyed the targets very much.

I'm surprised the ref didn't say something himself   not fair really. 

Enjoyed the targets very much as usual, weather just on the right side of cold but not freezing, plenty of people on every stand today so tons of waiting around. I shot most stands well but when was the last time any of you missed the first 3 pairs on the trot  well I managed it today on stand 9 with the innocent looking looper and mid range crosser only crushed the last pair by cutting the lead back on both by a foot ! 85 scored but trust me I will remember this lesson, all 70mm's worth of it.

 

[Sian]

I'm surprised the ref didn't say something himself   not fair really. 

Enjoyed the targets very much as usual, weather just on the right side of cold but not freezing, plenty of people on every stand today so tons of waiting around. I shot most stands well but when was the last time any of you missed the first 3 pairs on the trot  well I managed it today on an stand 9 with the innocent looking looper and mid range crosser only crushed the last pair by cutting the lead back on both by a foot ! 85 scored but trust me I will remember this lesson, all 70mm's worth of it.

Hammie I think he was probably just thankful I didn’t call distraction, it was a big queue

 

[Doug Pinnegar]

I didn't envy you guys shooting out in that cold yesterday!

 

[P1Fanatic]

I didn't envy you guys shooting out in that cold yesterday!

I was actually too warm at the start - my feet were sweating. It got a fair bit colder later on but two giant peacock hand warmers meant I didn’t even need gloves.

 

[Sian]

I was actually too warm at the start - my feet were sweating. It got a fair bit colder later on but two giant peacock hand warmers meant I didn’t even need gloves.

I was fine until the last three stands and the wait was actually quite long and I started to feel the cold.

 

[antse7en]

Second reg shoot in the bag this morning, 59 at Four Counties. 

Thanks to @Will Hewland for accommodating me! Some very different targets today, things that I haven’t seen before in the few months I’ve been shooting so not too disappointed in my score.

Looking forward to the next. 

As an aside one thing which is striking me about the “shooting community” is how friendly and approachable most people are at the shoots, it’s great for somebody new to the sport. 

 

[Will Hewland]

I thought it was one of the best 4C courses I’ve shot. Sadly I was shooting like a blind man on the easier targets. Held my own in some tricky stands but score rubbish. Antse7en did very well. A future star. 

 

[tiptop]

I thought it was one of the best 4C courses I’ve shot. 

Agree with you there Will. Lets hope it's starting to turn a corner.

 

[Richard59]

Agree with you there Will. Lets hope it's starting to turn a corner.

How did Martin fare? Oh and did you remember as dont want to see you standing outside the Headmistress door do we

 

[tiptop]

How did Martin fare? Oh and did you remember as dont want to see you standing outside the Headmistress door do we

Not my finest hour, still on course for B class  :wink:  so made sure this card went in. :yes: